Sunday, May 17, 2015

About Me Monday: I Always Thought it was a Secret

Hi everyone!

Thanks sooo much for joining me for the second of my three part series, "About Me Monday." My first installment where I shared my lost year really struck a chord with many of you and I appreciate all of your sweet comments and emails.

Today I am dipping my toe into scary waters and talking about a subject that is very uncomfortable for me to share. Like, "breaking out in hives and hyperventillating" kind of scary. It is an area of my life that I have always, always, always kept very private.

Ssshhh....don't tell anyone, but I am fat. Yes, I have kept that a secret. No one else has ever known that about me. Except for my family, friends, co-workers, strangers and any one I have ever met in person or who has seen a photo of me. Ok, I guess the only person who thought my obesity was a secret was me. I think I believed if I didn't acknowledge it no one would know........

But I am obese. Morbidly obese according to all the health charts.

2011

So why I am I sharing this personal and for me, incredibly embarrassing, topic with all of blogland? Well, besides possible insanity, I think I may be able to help and inspire those of you who may need to lose weight but have found it difficult to do so.

After my year long health issues I shared in my last post, I had been feeling so much better once I found the right doctor and the solution to my problems. Although I was no longer suffering from my illness, I still felt stuck in my armor of fat and my quality of life was really lacking due to the limitations and general lethargy I felt from carrying so much extra weight. Even though I was well aware my weight was affecting my life, I had resigned myself to living my days with sore feet, ill fitting clothes and limited energy. I believed it was my lot in life.

While waiting for my appointment with my chiropractor to begin, I noticed a sign for a weight loss program he offered through his practice. It was a six week plan that promised a 25 to 40 pound weight loss. Intrigued, I asked him about it and long story short, I signed up that day and have not looked back.

Now, to back track a bit, like most people who are severely overweight, I have tried many weight loss programs in the past: Diet Center, Nutri System, Medifast, Slim Fast, juicing, etc., etc., etc. All with some success, but never lasting and in fact,they were the catalyst for gaining even more weight.

2013

I had a daunting task ahead of me. I was a good (is that an oxymoron?) 150 #'s overweight. And of course, what self respecting weight loss plan doesn't start with a weigh in on the scale. Ugh! It was shocking and heart wrenching to see the reading on the scale: 297.4 pounds. Talk about heartbreaking...not surprising, however it sure was humilating to see it up in lights. But, I went in with a determination - after all it was only six weeks. I can do anything for six weeks. Well, this program has clicked for me. Totally clicked. Maybe it's the right "diet" or maybe the stars were aligned or it was divine intervention. Regardless, the pounds and inches came off. I was also never hungry - no cravings, no growling stomach. None. Nada. Zilch. I started at the end of October and I am down about 103 pounds.

The difference I feel in this particular "diet" is that it really isn't a diet in the way a person normally thinks of a diet. There are no artificially flavored shakes or bars, no processed foods. You eat healthy, whole foods - veggies, chicken, fish, fruit. Nothing that comes from a factory or has factory made ingredients. I do not have the "when I'm done, I can eat _______" mindset anymore. The phrase, "when I'm done with my diet," always meant, "when I go back to the foods that made me fat." Once I no longer am losing weight, I will still be eating the same foods, just in a higher quantity. I think that is what's made the difference for me.....I have completely turned about what types of food I like and want to eat. By eliminating the junk and eating food in balance with one another, my brain no longer calls out for sugars or fats. It has truly been a miracle for me and quite possibly may have saved my life.

2014

I am not here to promote the particular weight loss program I am on. If you would like to know what it is called and where to get more information on it, feel free to leave me a message. I also would be happy to answer any questions you have about my experience. There are plenty of programs and methods to lose weight. My purpose for telling you my journey is similar to my experience with searching for a doctor who could help me with my year long mystery illness. I want to urge any one who has excess pounds to lose - and who wishes to lose them - to keep looking for the "right" weight loss program for you. I had all but given up, but finally found a plan that works for me and one I feel I can use throughout the rest of my life.

April 2015

I still have a way too go in my weight loss journey, but not nearly as far as I had to go when I first started in late October. I no longer shop in the plus size aisle. I don't wonder if I will fit comfortably in a theater seat or look for the closest parking spot at the mall. I am looking forward (sort of!) to getting into a work out routine. One thing I use daily is a little exercise bike that I can use when I am at the computer or watch TV. I try to get 20 minutes in the morning before work and another 30 or so in the evenings. It really has strengthened my legs and is a great way to get my "steps" in for the day.

April 2015

Believe me, I know "dieting" is personal - I'm hyperventillating as I'm writing, lol! I've told you I'm fat, how many pounds I've weighed (and if you are good at math, you know how much I currently weigh) and disclosed I'm on a diet. Yikes! But, I hope by sharing, I may motivate some of you who feel it is hopeless to look for a plan that works for you and you can start improving your health as well. Like me, you have people in your lives who love you (no matter what your size) that want you to be happy, healthy and around for a long, long time. I encourage you to take that first step. Or second. Or tenth. Or, like me, it took countless steps to find something that worked.

Mother's Day 2015

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

*remember to always consult with your doctor before starting any weight loss or exercise program

Join me for the third and final installment of my "About Me Monday" series: "What's Up With These Ankles?"

Oh Jane I am so proud of you - you go girl. I must admit that I have been over weight also about 70 #. I had the beginnings of diabetics, kidney's not so good, prone to blood clots (I'm on thinners now) plus I have COPD. So I made up my mind this is just plain stupid as I want to be around to see my granddaughter graduate from high school. So I really cut back on my carbs and now I don't have to take medication for diabetics, my kidneys are better and I can breath much easier. I still want to loose more weight about another 30 lbs and then look out energizer bunny.I will be 80 in July and I feel GREAT.You will have a whole new world opening up for you Jane, so keep up the good work and keep on moving and drink lots of water to wash all the body fat out of your system.You are a very pretty woman and I am sure you have a terrific personalty - so you go girl.Have a wonderful week.Hugs to you,Mary

I am so very,very , very proud of you. I have walked your path in the past and I know exactly what you are going through. Stay with it and don't "get off" for love nor money. I am thrilled that you found what worked for you. You are beautiful now but I think you were beautiful before, too---because I have only known you through your written word I only know the beautiful person you are inside...the outside is just the shell of that lovely person.God bless you! You dune good, honey--you done good!!!! xo Diana

Bless your heart for sharig this. I am in the same position as you were. I have also been to my chiropractor who saved me from a few things that cropped up. He and I chatted briefly about not eating foods that are "processed". He didn't mention any particular diet but he touched on the fruits, veges, and lean meats in the conversation. You look amazing and I can only hope to achieve what you have. I applaud you for talking about it and sharing your story. I haven't been that brave. I'll have to search your blog for the other stories that led to this point. Big thumbs up!

Hi Jane. I have not read your lost year post yet but will be doing that as soon as I hit the publish button on this comment. (I want to see if the illness you were diagnosed with and kept you will is what I have been battling. I too am an overweight (morbidly obese) blogger. For the first two years I was too embarrassed to even post a head shot of myself on my blog for fear that I would be "found out". And, I have NEVER posted a full body shot and most likely never will unless a "miracle" happens. I have lost weight on my own before but I do know that it is very difficult and the older I get the more difficult it becomes. I would love to know what program you are on. Maybe it will work for me too. My email is srodgers1969 at yahoo dot com. PS...Kudos to you. You look fantastic. Can't wait to read your next post. Thanks for the inspiration.

Jane, I am SO proud of you and your courage!! It takes alot of courage to come out with all this. But, if you inspire one person it should be worth it. I, personally, hate the word "diet". To me, it spells failure cause it means you just do this for awhile and then stop. For true weight loss, I believe we have to change our way of life to eating healthy and exercising. That is not to say it is easy!!!! It is not and the older I get the harder it gets. You have done amazingly well. Keep up the good work, you look great already!!!!!!!!!!

I admire you so much. I am obese. I have been ill for several months; numerous tests and my body can no longer tolerate the way I was eating or what I was eating. I have lost 15 pounds. I would have preferred to drop 15 pounds in another way (instead of being so ill), but I have now to accept my new way to eat. Small amounts and small meals. My husband has a heart condition and eats super healthy. I know it is hard to believe that I live with such a healthy eater and I am so fat. Anywho, his heart doctor has told him that one day a month he can celebrate his "birthday". This means, one day a month, he can eat something he would love to eat (it is usually a hamburger or a piece of fried chicken), but only for that day. Well, I have pretty much adopted this "birthday" meal to my eating routine now. I am sorry this is so long, didn't mean to go on so, but I am just so encouraged by you. God bless you. You look great!!!

You should be so proud of yourself. This is an issue that so many of us fight daily. You are amazingly brave and I am sure you have touched the heart of many (me included) by being so honest and open. It is only with such frank openness that I think we really can face where we are and have the courage to change. I have found a different way that works for me, but that's the point, isn't it? We have to find what works for us individually and stick to that. For me its a very low carb eating plan, lots of protein and fruits and veges. It helps me control my diabetes to almost normal and gives me so much more energy to exercise. Thanks for sharing this very important part of your life!

I love that you wrote this. You have said so many things that I know and feel and needed to hear right now. Being overweight (and occasionally even thinner, which makes getting heavy again even worse) is also my worst kept secret and the one thing I can't talk about ever in real life. This was so courageous.

This took much courage. Visiting you from Imparting Grace. Very inspiring. Eating like you are is the very best way to eat. That is how everyone should be eating, whether one is overweight or not. Our nation would be healthier as a whole if we did. Keep up the great work and a big hug to you for your strength and motivation.

Kudos to you for stepping outside your comfort zone. Sometimes talking about what bothers you is therapeutic. It often leads to others feeling less pressure to feel perfect too. We live in a society that judges you on your looks and that's sad. I think it's wonderful that you've lost so much weight and are continuing to make progress! I'm very impressed with how much you've lost in such a short amount of time too. I'm sure your story is helping more people than you know.